Dispenser for toilet cleaner solids of liquids

ABSTRACT

A dispenser for either solid or fluid cleaning/conditioning agent for toilet water is described. The source of conditioning agent may be a liquid or a solid which solid has water from the flush tank flow over it. Conditioning liquid flows through a pinhole from a fluid reservoir to a dispensing volume This dispensing volume aliquots the cleaning agent. An air passage is connected to the reservoir and the dispensing volume. Connected to the bottom of the dispensing volume is a siphon with an enlarged outlet funnel. The enlarged outlet funnel has a restricted exit hole. For a dispenser of solid, a dispensing volume of flush water, sucked from an open cup, is passed over a bolus of cleaning agent. This process aliquots the removal of solid from the bolus. The dissolved cleaning agent is stored in a catch trough before it is dispensed through the siphon.

FIELD OF INVENTION

The field of the invention is dispensers of cleaning agents especiallycleaning agents dispensed into flush water for water closets or toilets.More particularly the present invention is concerned with dispensersthat use siphon (syphon) action. The siphon action of the presentinvention can dispense toilet fresheners from either solids or liquids.

BACKGROUND OF INVENTION

The need for disinfecting devices for toilet flush water was recognizedover 100 years ago. See U.S. Pat. No. 685,885. At the beginning of thetwenty first century, most American homes have at least one flushtoilet. This huge market has propelled development of devices thatdispense cleaning or disinfecting compounds in the flush water oftoilets. There have been two basic approaches to this problem ofreleasing small but effective amounts of cleaner/disinfectants fromeither tablets or liquid dispensers.

A first means of releasing cleaner-disinfectant in the flush water is tohave a device that releases a measured volume of liquid with each flush.There are a numerous devices in the patent literature that do just that.A recent example is U.S. Pat. No. 6,412,120. These dispensers must besimple and inexpensive to manufacture.

A second means of treating flush water is to use solid tablets ofdisinfectants. This solid mass of disinfectant is formulated so thatwith each toilet flush a measured amount of solid is released. The abovecited U.S. Pat. No. 685,885 used this principle. There are a largenumber of such solid tablets described in the patent literature andavailable in commerce. Solids are released in the flush water in twobasic ways. A) The tablet is placed in the water tank and the solid willdissolve in a slow prescribed manner. B) The second is a device thatallows a certain amount of flush water to flow in a prescribed mannerover the solid so that with each flush the device containing the solidwill respond and release a certain amount of the dissolved solid tabletwith each flush.

Because this problem of treatment agents in toilet water needs to beaddressed in a simple yet effective manner there is a relatively largeart for such dispensers. It is the intent of this invention to providean inexpensive to manufacture device that will release a consistentamount of disinfectant either from a solid bolus or from a fluidcontainer into the flush water with each flush of the toilet.

A solid bolus of toilet water conditioner can be one of a number ofsolid tablets of chemicals useful in small amounts to condition thetoilet water with cleaners or fresheners as well as pH adjustments. Ofinterest is U.S. Pat. No. 4,745,638. A significant improvement of thepresent invention compared to the prior art is that the presentinvention has a siphon with an enlarged outlet funnel; which outletfunnel has a restricted exit hole. This siphon is connected to thebottom of a dispensing volume.

SUMMERY OF INVENTION

The invention is a dispenser for either solid or fluid cleaning orconditioning agent for toilet water. The source of conditioning fluidmay be a liquid or a solid which solid has water from the flush tankflow over it. An aliquot of conditioning fluid is stored in a dispensingvolume, which is connected to an air passage. Connected to the bottom ofthe dispensing volume is a siphon with an enlarged outlet funnel. Theenlarged outlet funnel has a restricted exit hole. The conditioningfluid may be placed as a liquid form in a reservoir. That reservoir isconnected via a pinhole to a dispensing volume which dispensing volumeis a means of aliquoting the conditioning fluid. Connected to the bottomof said dispensing volume, in turn, is a siphon with an enlarged outletfunnel which enlarged outlet funnel has a restricted exit hole The meansof aliquoting the conditioning fluid in a liquid form may be adispensing volume of flush water sucked from an open cup which waterpasses over a bolus of cleaning agents. Two more specific embodiments ofthe above generic invention is as follows:

A first more specific embodiment is a dispenser for a toilet cleaningfluid into flush water volume of a flush toilet with a reservoir for thecleaning/conditioning fluid. A pin hole connects that reservoir to adispensing volume. An air passage connects the dispensing volume to theambient air. A siphon connects from the bottom of the dispensing volumeto toilet bowl water. The siphon is an enlarged outlet funnel. Theenlarged outlet funnel has a restricted exit hole.

Either a rigid reservoir or a flexible reservoir may be used to storethe prepared cleaning fluid. A flexible reservoir which collapses asfluid is dispensed may be used. An air passage may provide a direct ventinto rigid reservoir as the cleaning fluid is removed.

A second embodiment of the invention is an enclosed reservoir todispense disinfectant/cleaner from a solid bolus of disinfectant/cleanerinto toilet water. The bottom of the enclosed reservoir is a catchmentvolume which connects to a siphon. That siphon may have an enlargedoutlet funnel exit. Enclosed in said reservoir is a temporary catchtrough with a leak hole. The leak hole drips water over the solid bolusof toilet water conditioner into the catchment volume. The temporarycatch trough receives flush water a from U-shaped toilet sub-siphon. Oneend of that U-shaped sub-siphon is open to the ambient air. The otherend lends to the temporary catch trough. The U-shaped toilet sub-siphonhas a water entrance hole to allow flush water into the sup-siphon. Inan alternative version flush water from an open cup is pulled through atube from the cup to the catchment volume.

The solid bolus of toilet water conditioner may be permanently sealedwithin said enclosed reservoir or an operable opening may allow thesolid bolus to be replaced. Baffles or an enlarged central portion ofthe siphon may be used to slow down the release of water from thesiphon.

One of the advantages of the present invention is that is can bemanufactured in any of various configurations. This is important becausethe current Federal requirements limit the volume of flush water. Aslong as the principles is followed as in FIG. 1, any number ofconfigurations may be manufactured. For example, the dispenser may befitted into one corner. The reservoir may be in a second corner and thereservoir and dispenser may be connected by one or more tubes followingthe disclosed principles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

FIG. 1 shows one generic or abstract version of the present invention.From this generic description, various specific embodiments follow. FIG.1 shows the present invention as generic dispensing device in a genericwater tank, which water tank can rapidly release its water, (or otherfluid).

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the dispensing device to dispense a measuredamount of liquid with each flush of the toilet.

FIG. 3 shows a top view of that device.

FIG. 4 and

FIG. 5 show an alternative embodiment that is easily manufactured.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of the dispenser with a bolus in place.

FIG. 7 shows the cut A-A through FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of the dispenser. FIG. 9 shows a side view ofFIG. 6.

FIG. 9 shows an edge view of the dispenser with the enlarged siphonfunnel end.

FIGS. 10, 11, 12, and 13 show embodiments of the enlarged outlet funnelwith baffles to slow the exit of the water from the siphon.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show the enlarged outlet funnel to be central in thesiphon to provide a delayed release of water from the enlarged outletfunnel.

FIG. 16 shows a side view of about an alternative dispenser 1710.

FIG. 17 show a top view of dispenser 1710.

FIG. 18 shows a side view of dispenser 1710.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The FIG. 1 shows cleaning agent dispenser 110. The cleaning agentdispenser has a cleaning agent reservoir 111. Cap 120 provides anopening to replace the disinfecting cleaning agent 126. Fluid reservoir111 communicates with dispensing volume 112 via pin hole 113. Airpassage 115 allows air into dispensing volume 112 so than when siphon116 is activated by the toilet flush, the cleaning-disinfecting fluid istransported via siphon 116 into flush water 124. The transport of thedisinfecting fluid via the siphon 115 is much greater then the movementof the fluid via pin hole 113 from reservoir 111 to dispensing volume112. Siphon (syphon) 116 has an enlarged outlet funnel 123.

Air needs to replace the dispensed fluid 126 as it is released fromreservoir 111. There are three basic ways of allowing air into reservoir111. First, there can be a direct vent 133 into reservoir 111. Second,there can be a branch line 134 from an enlarged space 151 in air passage115 to reservoir 111. A third way to allow dispensing of disinfectant isto store the disinfectant in a flexible reservoir which reservoircollapses as fluid is dispensed from that flexible reservoir.

FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the invention fluid dispenser 210. Thefluid dispenser includes a fluid reservoir 211. Fluid reservoir 211 iscovered with a lid 220. Lid 220 has a cap 221 to provide an opening toreplace the disinfecting fluid 126. Fluid reservoir 211 communicateswith dispensing volume 212 via pin hole 213. Dispensing volume 212 mayhave an enlarged base 214 to determine the amount of disinfecting fluidreleased. Air passage 215 allows air into dispensing volume 212 so thanwhen siphon 216 is activated by the toilet flush, thecleaning-disinfecting fluid is transported via siphon 216 into flushwater. The transport of the disinfecting fluid via the siphon 216 ismuch greater than the movement of the fluid via pin hole 213 fromreservoir 211 to dispensing volume 212. Siphon (syphon) 216 has anenlarged outlet funnel 223. Hangers 225 allow the placement of thedispenser 220 on the rim of the water tank of the toilet.

FIG. 3 shows top view of the invention fluid dispenser 210. The fluiddispenser includes a fluid reservoir 211. Fluid reservoir 211 is coveredwith a lid 220. Lid 220 has an opening 316 to allow air to replace thedisinfecting fluid 126. Dispensing volume 212 may have an enlarged base214 to determine the amount of disinfecting fluid released. Air passage215 allows air into dispensing volume 212 so than when siphon 216 isactivated by the toilet flush, the cleaning-disinfecting fluid istransported via siphon 216 into flush water. The transport of thedisinfecting fluid via the siphon 216 is much greater than the movementof the fluid via pin hole 213 from reservoir 211 to dispensing volume212. Siphon (syphon) 216 has an enlarged outlet funnel 223. Hangers 225allow the placement of the dispenser 220 on the rim of the water tank ofthe toilet.

However, other configurations of the invention may be cheaper tomanufacture.

Examples of this are shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5. FIG. 4 shows thedisinfectant reservoir 411 in the form of a bottle. The bottle 411 isattached to the dispensing device 410 by means of threads 433. Othermeans of attachment or the bottle reservoir 411 to the dispenser 410 arecommon to the art. Shown also is enlarged outlet funnel 423 and catchvolume container 217. Cut A-A to show the inner working of the dispenseris shown as FIG. 5.

FIG. 5 show the cut A-A in FIG. 4. Place 434 shows the area ofattachment thread connection for bottle 411. Place 434 allows themovement of the dispensing fluid from reservoir 411 to pinhole 413. Anair vent opening 450 allowed outside air into an enlarged space 451.Enlarged space 451 for outside air leads to 452 which should turn leadsto the reservoir volume 411. This allows outside air into the reservoir411 as the fluid is dispensed. Likewise, enlarged space 451 leads to 415which allows air into the dispensary volume 412. Siphon 416 leads fromdispensing volume 412 to the outside.

FIG. 6 shows a side view of dispenser for solid disinfectants 610.Conditioner bolus 630 (work piece) shown in outline. A solid bolus canbe used with an aliquot of flush water to produce conditioning fluid forflush toilets. Bolus 630 is a reserved in enclosed rectangular reservoirarea 626. At the bottom of said enclosed rectangular reservoir 626 is acatchment volume 613. This catchment volume 613 may be connected toenclosed rectangular reservoir 626 by smaller holes. Catchment volume613 connects to siphon 616. Enlarged outlet funnel 623 is at the exitend of siphon 616. Enlarged outlet funnel 623 surrounds siphon exitspace 618. In the upper area of rectangular reservoir 626 is temporarycatch trough 628 shown in outline. Temporary catch trough 628 leak hole629 allows water to drip over bolus 630.

FIG. 7 shows the cut A-A through FIG. 6. Catchment volume 613 and bolus630 are shown internal to rectangular reservoir area 626. Temporarycatch trough 628 is shown in profile. To allow the efficient operationof the dispenser, there is ample openings between temporary catch trough628 and the reservoir area 626 to allow air to move from sub siphon 928to the enclosed reservoir.

FIG. 8 shows a top view of dispenser 610. Temporary catch trough 628 isshown in with catch hole leak hole 629. Upper turn 818 of siphon 616 isshown. A second upper turn 929 of sub siphon 928 is shown leading fromsub siphon 929 into temporary catch trough 628.

FIG. 9 shows the edge view of the dispenser 626. Siphon 616 withenlarged outlet funnel 623 is shown. Toilet sub siphon 928 fills to thelevel of the flush water 950 by seepage through toilet water entrancehole 925. Toilet sub siphon 928 has an opening to the ambient air 670.The U-shaped toilet sub-siphon 928 drains into temporary catch trough628 via upper turn 929.

FIG. 10 shows the enlarged outlet funnel 623 of siphon 616. Internal areone or more baffles 918 with a holes 919 in baffles 918. Baffles 918slows the exit of water from the siphon outlet funnel to aid thewithdrawal of the cleaner/disinfectant. Experimental evidence indicatedthat if the siphon is slowed the cleaner/disinfectant is more uniformlydispensed. FIG. 11 (cut C-C) shows the baffle 918 with hole 919 in thegeneral center area. FIG. 12 show an alternate baffle system in enlargedoutlet funnel 623. Instead of a hole 919 in the center, FIG. 12 that oneor more baffles 920 each have an opening 921 at the edge of the baffleinstead of the center. FIG. 13 shows the cut D-D to show the opening 921at the edge of baffle 920.

FIGS. 14 and 15 show an alternative enlarged siphon exit. Siphon 616enlarges into a bulge 165. Bulge 165 in turn narrows to exit hole 167.This narrowing of bulge 165 decrease the exit rate of siphon 616. FIG.16 shows the top view of embodiment of FIG. 16. Siphon 616 is shown withbulge 165 and the profile of exit piece 160.

FIG. 16 shows a side view of about an alternative dispenser 1710, withtoilet water conditioner bolus 630 (work piece) shown in outline. Bolus630 is a reserved in enclosed rectangular reservoir area 626. At thebottom of said enclosed rectangular reservoir 626 is a catchment volume613. This catchment volume 613 may be connected to enclosed rectangularreservoir 626 by smaller holes. Catchment volume 613 connects to siphon616. Enlarged outlet funnel 623 is at the exit end of siphon 616.Enlarged outlet funnel 623 surrounds siphon exit space 618. In the upperarea of rectangular reservoir 626 is temporary catch trough 628 shown inoutline. Temporary catch trough 628 leak hole 629 allows water to dripover bolus 630.

FIG. 7 shows the cut A-A through FIG. 1710. Catchment volume 613 andbolus 630 are shown internal to rectangular reservoir area 626.Temporary catch trough 628 is shown in outline profile. To allow theefficient operation of the dispenser, there is ample openings betweentemporary catch trough 628 and the reservoir area 626 to allow air tomove from sub siphon 928 to the enclosed reservoir.

FIG. 17 shows a top view of dispenser 1710. Temporary catch trough 628is shown in outline with catch hole leak hole 629. First upper turn 818of siphon 616 is shown. A second upper turn 929 continues from connectortube 1913. Connector tube 1913 connects aliquot volume 1711.

FIG. 18 shows the edge view of the dispenser 1710. Siphon 616 withenlarged outlet funnel 623 is shown. Aliquot volume 1714 fills withflush water 950 through open cup 1711. The flush water 950 from aliquotvolume 1714 is drawn through opening 1711. Open cup 1714 connects withconnector tube 1913 to The U-shaped toilet sub-siphon 929. Sub-siphon929 drains into temporary catch trough 628 via upper turn.

Operation of the Liquid and Solid Dispensers

The fluid dispenser 210 operates in the following manner: Dispenser 110is retained in place by attaching via hanger(s) 125. Fluid reservoir 111is filled with cleaning fluid 126 through cap 221. This filling can takeplace either before dispenser 111 is affixed to the rim of the toiletwater tank or it can be filled when fluid dispenser 111 is in place. Theflush water level 124 is shown prior to the flushing of the toilet.Because of the principle “Water (liquid) seeks its own level.” thecleaning-disinfecting fluid 126 will flow from the fluid reservoir 211via pin hole 213 to fill dispensing volume 112. Enlarged base 214provides a more constant dispensed volume of fluid as the level ofdisinfecting cleaning agent 126 is lowered as it is removed fromcleaning agent reservoir 111.

As the toilet is flushed the water in the toilet tank drops rapidly.Thus the water in the siphon 216 and enlarged outlet funnel 223 drops asthe toilet is flushed. This creates a partial vacuum in siphon 216. Thedisinfecting fluid 126 in dispensing volume 212 is drawn into thepartial vacuum in siphon 216. Since the volume of enlarged outlet space223 is greater than the dispensing volume 212, as the water drops itsucks disinfecting fluid 126 into the siphon 216 and thus into the flushwater.

After the toilet stopper closes and the water tank is refilled, the airtrapped in enlarged base 214 and siphon 216 is forced through siphon 216and thus removing disinfecting fluid 126 which may act to restart thesiphon. After the dispensing volume 212 is sucked out after the flush,pinhole 213 allows the refilling of dispensing volume 212 to restart thecycle.

Concerning dispensers with solid cleaners: flush water 950 drops as atoilet flushes, it creates a partial vacuum in the siphon 616. This inturn draws out the dissolved material that is in catchment volume 613.This flush create a partial vacuum in the rectangular reservoir area626. To relieve this partial vacuum ambient air enters opening 670. Notetoilet water entrance hole 925 has filled toilet sub siphon 928 to thelevel of flush water 950. Aliquot volume 1711 fills with flush water 950as in embodiment 1710. Since sub siphon 928 has been filled with water,the partial vacuum pulls the water from sub siphon 928 to catchmentvolume 628. The water in catchment volume 628 is temporarily storedprior through leaking through leak hole 629 which water drips over bolus630. The water that has dripped over bolus 630 dissolves parts of bolus630 and collects in catchment volume 613. At this stage, the dispenserawaits the next flush and will dispense cleaner detergent into the nextvolume of flush water. The enclosed reservoir may be designed so thatthe bolus of cleaner is permanently sealed within the reservoir, or maybe designed so that the bolus of cleaner may be replaced.

1) A dispenser for either solid or fluid conditioning cleaning agent fortoilet water comprising: a conditioning cleaning agent to be dispensed ameans of aliquoting said conditioning cleaning agent; a dispensingvolume for said aliquot of conditioning cleaning agent; connected tosaid dispensing volume is an air passage connected to the bottom of saiddispensing volume is a siphon with an enlarged outlet funnel; saidenlarged outlet funnel has a restricted exit hole 2) A dispenser foreither solid or fluid conditioning cleaning agent for toilet water as inclaim 1) wherein said conditioning cleaning agent in a liquid form isstored in a reservoir. 3) A dispenser for either solid or fluidconditioning cleaning agent for toilet water as in claim 1) wherein saidmeans of aliquoting said conditioning cleaning agent in a liquid form isa dispensing volume; said dispensing volume is connected to saidconditioning fluid in a reservoir via a pinhole. 4) A dispenser foreither solid of fluid conditioning cleaning agent for toilet water as inclaim 1) wherein said cleaning conditioning fluid to be dispensed isflush water from an open cup; said cup is a means of aliquoting saidconditioning cleaning agent said flush water flows over a bolus ofconditioning solid; said flush water with conditioning dissolved fromthe solid collects in a catchment volume; said catchment volume isconnected to said siphon. 5) A dispenser for a toilet cleaning fluidinto a flush water volume of a flush toilet comprising: a reservoir; apin hole connects said reservoir to a dispensing volume; a first airpassage to the reservoir from the ambient air above the reservoir; asiphon from said dispensing volume to the toilet bowl water; a secondair passage from the ambient air above the reservoir to said dispensingvolume; 6) A dispenser for a toilet cleaning fluid as in claim 5) wherein said siphon has an enlarged outlet space. 7) A dispenser for a toiletcleaning fluid as in claim 5) where in said first air passage is adirect vent into said reservoir. 8) A dispenser for a toilet cleaningfluid as in claim 5) where in said reservoir is a flexible reservoirwhich reservoir collapses as fluid is dispensed from that flexiblereservoir. 9) A dispenser for a toilet cleaning cleaning agent as inclaim 5) where in there is a branch line from an enlarged space in saidsecond air passage to said reservoir. 10) A dispenser for a toiletcleaning fluid as in claim 5) where in said reservoir is a bottle. 11) Adispenser for a toilet cleaning fluid as in claim 5) further comprises acatch volume. 12) A dispenser for a solid bolus of conditioner fortoilet flush water comprising: an enclosed reservoir; at the bottom ofsaid enclosed reservoir is a catchment volume; said catchment volumeconnects to a siphon; enclosed in said rectangular reservoir is atemporary catch trough; said temporary catch trough has a leak hole;said leak hole drips water over the solid bolus of toilet waterconditioner; said temporary catch trough receives an aliquot volume offlush water from an open cup; said open cup connects with a connectortube to the temporary catch trough. 13) A dispenser for a solid bolus oftoilet water conditioner as in claim 12) wherein said siphon has anenlarged outlet funnel. 14) A dispenser for a solid bolus of toiletwater conditioner as in claim 12) wherein said solid bolus of toiletwater conditioner is permanently sealed within said enclosed reservoir.15) A dispenser for a solid bolus of toilet water conditioner as inclaim 12) wherein said solid bolus of toilet water conditioner may bereplaced. 16) A dispenser for a solid bolus of toilet water conditioneras in claim 12) wherein said enlarged outlet funnel has one or morebaffles. 17) A dispenser for a solid bolus of toilet water conditioneras in claim 12) wherein said siphon has an enlarged central section. 18)A dispenser for a solid bolus of toilet water conditioner comprising: anenclosed reservoir; at the bottom of said enclosed reservoir is acatchment volume; said catchment volume connects to a siphon; enclosedin said rectangular reservoir is a temporary catch trough; saidtemporary catch trough has a leak hole; said leak hole drips water overthe solid bolus of toilet water conditioner; said temporary catch troughreceives flush water a from U-shaped toilet sub-siphon; one end of saidU-shaped sub-siphon is open to the ambient air; said U-shaped toiletsub-siphon has a water entrance hole.